When we bought our house, it had a kitchen that was all white (even the basins) green wooden handels. This is somewhat unusual for South Africa. I nailed 6mm plywood on the melamine doors for frames and painted (colour washed) the doors. I have used old meranti planks that were used for outside walls of a complex for the worktop. I then added some off cut granite pieces in the wood. I also replaced all the tiles and added some chandeliers. Some of the awkward shelves was also changed into vegetable storage and wine racks.